Alcohol consumption disrupts sleep architecture, reduces REM and deep sleep, and chronically leads to increased systemic inflammation and poorer health outcomes.

“I have a theory, which is that the controversies around the alcohol literature and longevity, in my mind, could boil down to something as simple as sleep disruption. For instance, drinkers have more inflammation. But in those particular studies, perhaps, I'm speculating here, they're drinking with dinner, and we know that disrupts sleep architecture, reduces REM sleep, deep sleep. This has just been shown over and over again. And chronically, over time, especially on a backdrop of a high-stress lifestyle, perhaps leads to more systemic inflammation and poorer health outcomes.